Graduate transfer ready to give immediate impact for St. John’s basketball

The St. John’s basketball program will be looking for an immediate impact from its graduate transfer.

One of the biggest offseason additions the St. John’s basketball program made was landing George Washington graduate transfer Arnaldo Toro.

Toro, a 6-foot-8 power forward, will bring some much needed depth to the Red Storm’s front-court and help in the rebounding category, something the team struggled with in conference play a season ago.

As a senior, Toro played in 24 games, starting ten, and averaged 6.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, but in a larger sample size the Puerto Rico native averaged 7.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore while playing in 33 games, starting 27.

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In his second season in Queens, head coach Mike Anderson will have options to fill his starting front-court, but also fall back on the luxury of capable players on his bench as multiple players have the shown ability to perform at a high level as a reserve.

Arnaldo Toro joins a group of players such as Josh Roberts, Marcellus Earlington, and Isaih Moore that will fortify the back line of the St. John’s full-court press defense, something that was exposed at times from Big East opponents a season ago.

St. John’s basketball program ready to see its transfer shine.

Anderson spoke very highly of Toro during Big East Media Day and sophomore forward Julian Champagnie said that the George Washington graduate transfer surprised him the most out of all the newcomers the program saw enter Queens this season.

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A permitter and face-up game is basically non-existent from Toro in watching his games at George Washington but the power forward does have the ability to score with his back to the basket, another aspect of the game that St. John’s didn’t possess or utilize in league play last season.

Arnaldo Toro and the Red Storm will look to get the 2020-21 season off to the right start against a team yet to be determined on November 25 at Carnesecca Arena.